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Litpick, a site for student book reviews, recently reviewed Freedom for Me by Stacie Haas! A portion of the five-star review is below.

Opinion: The characters were wonderfully developed, and the story itself is written with exceptional realism, making it seem as if the tale could be happening right alongside you as you read. Thomas, who is the main character, is Chinese. At first, I was confused on how he ended up in America with his new family, but the author explained it eventually as it being something of the likeness of an unofficial adoption.

This story is based on one of the very few Chinese Yankees who served during the Civil War. There is obvious racism throughout the story, but none of it is overly harsh, and most of it is thoroughly explained and makes sense with the story.

This book took a well-known historical event and spun it into an epic tale told from the perspective of a Chinese boy. The author did a wonderful job enlightening me as well as teaching me more about the types of people who fought in the Civil War.

Reviewer Jack Magnus writes:Freedom for Me: A Chinese Yankee is a meticulously researched and beautifully presented military fiction novel which recreates the life and experiences of a Chinese Yankee volunteer during the Civil War. Her battle scenes are stark and moving, and the prejudicial attitudes Beck is subjected to ring true, sadly enough, even in today’s world.

Reading Freedom for Me was a fascinating and illuminating experience for me as each skirmish became real and the bravery of those who endured is revealed. I was especially interested in seeing how Thomas interacted with the soldiers he was attached to, particularly Henry, whose initial viciousness and physical attacks were alarming. The young men, all from very different walks of life, formed a team that was memorable. What was perhaps most moving of all was Beck’s conviction that freeing the slaves was worth sacrificing his own life for; that his own freedom was intricately tied up in the civil rights of others.